


dancing with the bones

by nefertaricezn



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dark Romance, F/M, Halloween, More tags to be added, saving the world one spooky spook at a time, spooky romance, unedited
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26964100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nefertaricezn/pseuds/nefertaricezn
Summary: use of the word r*tard (used as an insult towards something protagonist likes)
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> use of the word r*tard (used as an insult towards something protagonist likes)

I like Halloween, I always have and I always will, but this Halloween had to have been about the worst. Could you imagine being stuck for a night with someone who called one of your favorite artists gay and stupid, or with someone who said a show you liked was stupid, or how about someone who said a youtuber you watch - after stating you watch said youtuber mind you - only had an audience of ‘retarded’ nine year olds? Chances are you would be as miserable as I am in this moment. 

Now, see all of that bundled into an aggressive girl named Katrina. I tried being her friend, truly, and leading up to this night, I thought we were doing relatively well. But as the night grew on and the kid that dressed as an Orthodox Jew ran off into the sunset yelling “JUDAISM,” it wasn’t bound to last that’s for sure.

I was dressed in a plain white long gown that had a blue outer vest, I was supposed to be from the good ole days of plagues and death, I thought I looked cute and nobody was going to miss seeing me in this even if I was consistently stepping on my size-too-big dress. My friend Mary had made her costume out of foam, she was supposed to be some warrior neko - cat lady fusion. She looked really nice and had made it all herself which was a marvelous feat that I was envious of. Perseus, another friend, was adorned in an android costume and was dedicated to the character so we just let them enjoy life because why not? But none of this has given you an idea of what we were dealing with, has it?

We met her at the school, all of us dressed and ready to face the chilly Halloween night. She, Katrina, was dressed in an outfit I don’t really know how to describe. Was she even in a costume? Her sister was, but as it turned out, her much nicer and sweeter younger sister was not allowed to come with us, courtesy of Katrina herself. That should’ve been a sign, I know, but I was stupid in that exact moment and I can’t magically go back and time and fix that. 

Leading up to this very defining moment, I had been tested to my very core and my feet hurt, but it was nothing I couldn’t deal with. But then it happened. Katrina connected her hand to the breast of Mary’s chest armor, in front of children, without consent. That is where we are currently, with me sulking in the back of the group with Perseus who has mentally vacated the dimension in order to fully portray an android character. 

“Can you stop doing that in front of the kids? They’re like five, dude!” I begged, brows furrowing in annoyance. 

“Oh, come on, Nef! Live a little, it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. If she wanted me to stop, she would’ve told me!” Katrina shrugged, dismissing me as she turned to face me. 

I remained silent, speaking up to complain about my aching feet which, as someone wearing shoes without supports for her feet that need supports, was pretty painful. I casually sent a look towards Perseus but at that point, unless I needed an android input, I would not be getting much. I don’t mind that, to be fair, considering I knew what must’ve been going on in all of our minds.

We approached a house not long after that had a bucket outside and a note that told us to only take one, and I was always one to respect that because truth be told, I’d like to have candy left over if I were them and because it is a nice thing to do. Katrina does not share my opinions on this matter and I watch in disgust as she took a handful, or two, and dropped it right into her bag of doom. 

She did this at a few more houses, and then while two of us say no, she decided we should go to her house for pizza. We cut through someone’s house where I blatantly stayed in the street practically shouting how I was not about to go through someone’s yard. Yet, I found myself following, even after my declaration of discomfort. 

Funny how that can be, isn’t it? You tell someone you’re uncomfortable and they ought to listen and respect you, but they don’t. It’s really funny. Ha. Ha. Ha.

This part of town bordered a cemetery, as all cities simply must have that one part of town. It was my least favorite place, cemeteries always gave me that vibe and this was no different. 

As we walked past it, though, I noticed something, something peculiar really and as an eighteen year old everything was peculiar. Where’d my left sock go? Peculiar. Where’d I put my pencil? Peculiar. You get the gist. 

It felt as if something was watching me, keeping it’s beady little Halloween eyes on me. Perseus followed my gaze to the cemetery before looking back at me, we nodded, and then we pushed through the gates.


	2. Chapter 2

Perseus was surprisingly calm when we entered the cemetery, as if we weren’t in the one place that zombies would appear first. Not like I believed zombies would pop out and eat my brains, but it was Halloween, the one night a year where the spooky and deceased are said to return to the living. Never said if it was in their old bodies or as spirits, or even both! I’m not about to mess with that. 

I was not Perseus. I was not completely unafraid and fascinated by the death that surrounded us because, really, I don’t mix with the dead. It’s like trying to put a coin on top of Mercury, like in that NileRed video. It won’t work. 

There wasn’t anything off with the cemetery, it didn’t feel like someone was watching us anymore, but I didn’t want to turn my back and suddenly Jason Voorhees has stabbed me in the back. 

Silence followed us until we reached a specific area, a rather barren hill that held exactly one mausoleum and nothing else. Exactly nothing else. No grass, no trees, nothing. Just _dirt_.

“Sae, what ‘er we lookin’ at?”

When I say I screamed, I mean that I let out the loudest, most fear filled scream that Satan himself could hear in the deepest sanctum of Hell. Behind us stood a tall man adorned in slightly baggy black clothes that definitely were not from this time period and were covered in cobwebs and dust as well as a belled top hat. I wasn’t quite sure what it was that had been coating his jacket and pants, and his hat, but I wasn’t sure if I _wanted_ to know to begin with.

His skin was as black as night, not in the natural skin tone sense, but literally like the color of ash and soot. His face was painted white, like a skull, so I figured that was his costume, but it was a bit strange how we hadn’t had heard him walk up. 

“Sorry there, wee lassie, didn’t mean to spook ye!”

Percy looked at me, a grin on there face as they looked at the stranger, as if saying “would you look at that, he’s Scottish!” This was more or less not a moment to be excited about that as now we were in a cemetery with a stranger and separated from the others. 

“I - I.... Y - You’re Scottish....” I pointed a shaky finger at him, as if stating the obvious would make this encounter any less terrifying and unnerving.

“Aye, I am!” He responded proudly, tipping his hat to us. “A cemetery isnae a place for ye, wee lassie. Ye shouldn’t be here, aye?” 

“I’m sorry, what?” I didn’t want to sound rude, but my ability to understand accents wasn’t that great and he was not making much sense, but why would he? We did just meet him in a cemetery and he’s adorned in things that make me feel like he just rose from the dead. 

“He’s saying a cemetery isn’t a place for us and that we shouldn’t be here.” Percy looked at me, then back to the skeleton man, eyes squinted. “Who’re you?”

“Bones, at yer service!” He swopped his hat from his head, stumbling a little as he bowed. He had slightly unruly hair that was kept back by a bandana of some sort, but he was quick to return his hat to his head. “And ye?”

“I’m Perseus, or Percy, and that’s Nef.” Percy wasted no time in introducing us, but I wished they had at least had half the mind to wonder if this... _Bones_ was here to kill us.

I was silent at first, squinting at him. “Can I call you Bojangles? You seem like a Bojangles.” 

“Nay!” He huffed, turning his full attention to me. “It’s Halloween, aye?”

I bit back a sarcastic response, nodding slowly. “It is, why? You got somewhere to be? Late for a very important date?”

“Hm, it’s time tae wake th’ others.” He turned away from us, skittering away like a nervous mouse looking for food while also remaining hesitant to the sneaky cats that may be lying around. 

Percy looked at me and nodded, telling me all that I needed to know and I responded with a slow, warning shake of my head. They did not listen. Instead, they followed Bones, looking around and acting as if they understood exactly what Bones was talking about. With a heavy sigh, I followed after them, silent. 

“It's time tae wake up ye wee heathens! hallows eve is upon us!” He shouted into the cemetery, as if expecting a response from the dead. His accent thickened the louder he had gotten, it was a bit amusing but I had no idea what he was saying. 

Percy and I traded glances before looking back at Bones. 

“I said wake up ye wee bastards, it’s time tae go!” He grabbed a stick and threw it right into an old, withered headstone, thankfully not knocking a piece off.

Was this man okay?

I didn’t have time to ask because then a few, much odder beings emerged from the dirt. There was a florescent spirit, a literal man of bones and not Bones himself, and a witch? I couldn’t tell you honestly even if I wanted to. 

I was seconds away from screaming when a hand clamped over my mouth, I responded with a curt punch to whatever had touched me and hoped to any deity out there listening that it wasn’t a zombie.

It was a werewolf. 

“Goodness me, wee miss, 'at was quite a Scottish jimmy!” Bones patted my back as if we were friends, acting as if he didn’t scare the living daylights out of me mere moments before. He was amused at least which might’ve meant he would not be murdering two people tonight. “She can flin' a scottish jimmy, isnae 'at brammer?”

 _What_. What was that even supposed to mean? Even Percy couldn’t offer me much help on translating. I squinted at Bones, as if asking _him_ what he meant.

“You’re confusing the poor girl, Bones. Why don’t you go off and handle something else while we get them more comfortable, yes?” The skeleton waved at Bones dismissively, as if he was any better of an option here. 

The skeleton wore a suit, definitely note of this era, but that didn’t matter. He had a suit and a monocle on as well as a top hat, similar to Bones’. How does it even fit on him? _How_? 

“Not to be rude or anything here but you’re a skeleton, that person’s a ghost, and that’s a werewolf and I am terrified out of my mind.” I looked between them all, putting Percy between us. They were too busy being fascinated by the ghost to really bother with anything, and had this been any other situation, I would’ve been too. 

“Oh, nonsense, we’re just as human as you are. I’m Harold.” He held out a boney hand towards me after giving Perseus a simple pat to the head. “Lovely to meet you. These are my friends, Bartholomew the Werewolf and Ibis the Ghost.”

I shook his hand, but the feel of bone against my skin was not one I particularly enjoyed. “There isn’t enough therapy in the world that can ever repair the nightmares I will be having from this night onwards. I’m Nef, that’s Percy.”

“We’ve got work tae dae, we cannae - cannot stay.” Bones’ voice did something a bit weird, as if he were trying to talk in a way that I could understand. I’m not sure if that’s what he was doing, but I still appreciated it. I still wasn’t sure what he meant earlier, though. 

“Can we come?” Percy looked between them, as if practically begging them. “It beats being with Katrina, right, Nef?”

“Katrina? Who’s ‘at?” Bones looked between us, brows raised in amusement as he scratched and smudged the paint on his face, but what was peculiar was that only the white smudged, as if the ashen color was actually his skin. But _that_ would be impossible, right? I refused to believe anything else.

Harold and Bones, as well as the others, had all traded each other looks before Bones cleared his throat.

“You’re welcome tae come, but stay close tae us, aye?” He squinted at us, but whatever they had planned didn’t seem like it was all that safe. 

Percy didn’t seem to mind much, it was more like the gears in their head were forming some sort of questionnaire to ask the strange beings when the time came strictly for writing purposes. 

I wasn’t sure what to think, though. I mean, a Scottish... being that doesn’t seem to belong in this world just woke up a whole bunch of beings that should _not_ be awake and moving. Sure, Bones was nice and all, but a skeleton just shook my hand. A _skeleton_. Therapy cannot help me now. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heehoo he go bonk

Bones was quiet as we walked. He said nothing and did nothing, looking forward into as if he could see the fabric of time itself. It was a bit weird seeing him like that since moments ago he was the happiest, cheery skull painted stranger I had ever seen. He didn't seem to like the children much: he scowled every time one came near.

Harold hadn't stopped talking since leaving the cemetery. He was a very bitter skeleton, for all the right reasons. Apparently, his wife stoke his money, his kids, and let him fall into despair. He was hit and killed by a train.

Ibis and Bartholomew were quiet, not even attempting to add onto the conversation which was fine since I more or less was worried about the sudden attitude shift in our more _lively_ companion. Did these children traumatize him or something? 

“There is a spirit of evil among us.” Bones’ voice took a chilling turn, no longer tinged with the usual accent. He sounded more like Johnny Depp’s mad hatter whenever things got serious and he’d space out. 

Harold, if it was even possible, seemed to frown. “Yes, I sense it too. Now, dears, we’d very much appreciate it if you stay here! Things could get quite dirty around here. Try not to wonder away, though! It’d be lovely to get to know you two better.”

Percy and I were left alone pretty quickly after that, with Bones being the last to leave as he squinted at me before leaving. 

“We should definitely go and see what they’re doing, Nef. It’s gonna be fantastic.” Percy grinned at me, acting almost as if it was perfectly normal to follow a painted skeleton, a real skeleton a ghost and a werewolf after hearing them say there was something evil among them. Perfectly normal.

“I don’t now, Perce, did you see the look Bones gave me? It’s like he knows something. Something bad could be happening. It’s best to just sit here and wa - and there you go. Leaving me alone. Outside a cemetery. I always said I’d be the first to die in a horror movie setting.” I blinked, watching as Percy disappeared down the path the group had taken. 

Alone. That’s what I was and what I wouldn’t give to have Bones pop out of nowhere asking what I was looking at. The longer I stood there, the more aware I become that there was, in fact, no Bones to pop out of nowhere. So, I silently treaded forward, walking uneasily as I rapidly looked around. 

My heart was practically in my throat when I had felt something practically breathing down my next. When I looked behind me, nothing was there. I turned back around quickening my pace only for it to happen again. 

I broke into a sprint, but I am not in shape and it was fairly short. To say I needed to exercise more was a complete understatement of the millennium. I wasn’t fast enough to escape whatever had been creepily breathing down my neck like that one uncle at a family reunion. 

A shadowy tendril wrapped around my ankle as I stood hunched over, catching my breath. Suddenly, I was yanked backwards and then I was on the ground, nails digging into the dirt.

Now would be a wonderful time for Bones and the rest of the graveyard pals to show up, but I knew better than to hope for something that might not happen. 

I kicked and trashed at the thing that had grabbed me until I fell to the ground with a thud. Screaming, I darted from the shadowy creature, running as fast as I could because something deep in my bones told me it was following me. It felt surreal, like running to the next room after turning the lights off except this time you could probably die. 

I ran. Faster than I had ever run before, faster than I ever would again. I ran and I ran and in a split second, Bones had emerged from the brush in just enough time to be my cushion. I collided with him almost instantly. 

Do you ever just look at someone, deep into their eyes, and see every emotion known to man as they let out the most startling scream ever produced? It sounded more like a crow call being cut off by being blindsided, but I owed him a little respect after knocking him seven ways to next year.

Bones laid on the ground for a while, just staring up at nothing. It was a bit concerning - I even wondered if he could get concussions, but I tried not to think to hard on the pain I caused him. 

“Can I ask what that was for?” He was serious, so much so that I honestly was a little terrified. He sat up, dusting himself off and righting his hat. 

I pointed and just beyond where I had crashed into him, stood the creature that was big and black, like a shadow, but it had about a thousand blinking eyes and a mouth that curled upwards, baring the sharpest teeth I wish I never saw. Tendrils wiggled and waved beside it, as if waiting for me to get too close again. 

“Are ye fokin’ me sideways?” His voice had raised several octaves, probably terrified too at the creature that just so sadistically stared at us like I would stare at bacon. Mm, bacon. 

Bones stood, grabbing me with him before tugging me further away. The creature did not follow. 

“Are ye alright, Nef?” It was the first time he said my name. 

“It dragged me.” I stared up at him, gesturing to the dirt that had caked itself on me during the joyride. “What was that?”

His face hardened and he looked down at my ankle and for the first time, I noticed the black ring around my ankle, as if it had inked on me or something. 

“Not good.” Was all he said before he tugged me with him, silently, until we reached the others and of course, Percy was with them. “It got the wee lass.” 

They murmured, but I didn’t care much. I just wanted to get away from whatever that was, but if all those movies were right, this wasn’t over.


End file.
